Elephants, Singing, And The Alternate Storyline Of The Last Of Us

Game Informer - We partnered with Naughty Dog to show off The Last of Us in a cover story back in March 2012. During that cover story trip, game director Bruce Straley and creative director Neil Druckmann pitched us on the game before showing off a section of gameplay. Before Sony ever greenlit the project, the developers had to go through an even more rigorous pitch process that outlined story and gameplay elements of the game that were left on the cutting room floor. During a PAX Prime 2013 panel today called “Pitching The Last of Us”, Naughty Dog showed off unused enemy types, an alternate storyline, and a hilarious musical outtake.

No, it wouldn't have worked. It was Ellie's love of nature and what it represented that contrasted with the harsh world the humans had created. If the animals had also attacked, it would have diluted the impact and muddied the message.

The giraffe scene, to me, represented nature (and animals) completely claiming their dominance; there was no place for humans any longer. Yes, it was pretty, but it was also foretelling.

An infected elephant attack would have been even more impactful to Ellie during winter, where she basically lost her previous self. She saw that humans were horrible, now she would see that animals were too. It was a low point for her, and that would have made the change much more impactful, at least, to me.

Then the giraffe scene happens, and she reclaims her love of nature, or at least has hope for it.

Damn I sound like an ass, haha. I hate typing out my interpretations of things.